This disclosure relates generally to the field of information technology, and more specifically to network-based systems and methods for managing software and hardware components through a lifecycle of these components.
As a matter of background, information technology components may include at least software components and hardware components. A software component is a collection of computer-executable instructions that cause a computer processor to perform specific functions required by, for example, a department of a company. Software component functions include processing, testing, reporting, graphic design, or the like. A software component may be commercially available off the shelf and available for sale, lease or license for the general public, or it may be open source software or freeware. Maintenance of the software component may also be available to purchase from the software vendor. Alternatively, the software component may be developed internally by a company and/or may be a competitor to a commercially available software product. Hardware components include physical devices that are part of a computer system.
Large organizations, especially those heavily reliant on computer technology, employ a massive number of diverse software and hardware components (also referred to herein as “computer components” or “components”) in their day-to-day operations. A large multinational business entity, for example, may have thousands of computer components in use. Components may be specific to geographical region, department, or even team. Components are acquired from many disparate sources and at different points in the life of the organization, as well as the maturity of the component itself. Accordingly, in many organizations, it becomes difficult or impossible to track all computer components in use. Moreover, it is tedious to repeatedly survey each department regarding computer components in use within the department. There may be no single component repository where computer components are inventoried, managed, and maintained through their respective lifecycles. Component users in one organizational department are frequently unaware of components in use in other departments, and these users may mistakenly purchase redundant components for a solution when other solutions already acquired by the organization may be in use. Worse still, the lack of cross-department awareness on components may cause some users to develop their own components even as viable commercial components exist in other company departments. Moreover, in these cases, where one department procures a computer component and shares its license with another department, the procuring department needs to be able to notify the other department each time a license expires or is renewed, or risk unlicensed use or component shutdown without notice to a user.